Noise Pollution

Before I explain the points of my presentation today, I want to explain a little bit
about noise pollution. We already know what the term environmental pollution is. Such
as water pollution, air pollution, and soil pollution. At least, we often hear about three of
these things. But for some people, it may still feel a little bit unfamiliar with what noise
pollution is. One of the pollution that becomes a form of threat to living things, including
humans.

Noise pollution is generally defined as routine exposure at high levels of sound

and causing adverse effects on humans or other living organisms. And according to the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, noise pollution is unwanted noise or a noise that
is considered disruptive. The World Health Organization (WHO) says a sound level of
less than 70 dB will not harm living organisms, regardless of how long or consistent the
exposure is. However, exposure for more than 8 hours of constant sound that exceeds
85 dB can have a bad impact on health.

On this occasion, I will explain several types of noise pollution and the bad effects
on humans.

Types of noise pollution

 Impulsive noise, is noise that occurs for a short time and is usually surprising.
For example, the sound of explosions of fireworks, the sound of gunshots, and
the sound of lightning.
 Continuous impulsive noise, is noise that occurs continuously but only
intermittently. For example, the sound of hammer being hit continuously.
 Semi-continuous noise, is that only lasts for a moment, then disappears and
appears again. For example, the sound of passing motor vehicles on the
streets and the sound of airplanes passing by.
 Continuous noise, is that comes continuously for a long time. For example,
the sound of engine from the factory.

The effects of noise pollution

 Hearing disorders.
 People who often exposed to noise pollution are at high risk of hearing
disorders, especially if the intensity of the sound they often hear exceeds 75-
85 dB and lasts in the long term. Hearing disorders due to noise pollution can
interfere with the ability to understand speech, difficulty concentrating, and
to interfere with daily productivity.
 Sleep disturbances.
Sound above 33 dB at night can trigger the body’s natural reactions that can
interfere with sleep quality. Poor sleep will affect mood, resulting in fatigue,
to decrease memory and concentration. Meanwhile, good sleep is one that
has sufficient duration (about 7-9 hours for adults) and is very important for
physical and mental health.
 Mental disorders.
Noise pollution can increase a person’s risk for mental disorders such as
anxiety disorders, stress, restless, unstable emotions, and even aggressive
behavior due to stress.
 Cardiovascular Diseases.
It is a disease related to the heart and blood vessels. Cardiovascular disease
caused by noise pollution is actually related to sleep disorders. These effects
will begin to be seen if we are exposed to noise above 65 dB every day in the
long term.

The conclusion, noise pollution is also one of the threats and has a bad impact on
living things, especially humans. It is invisible and often considered trivial, but the effect
is very bad for health.